"You wasted assets": Ryan Clark rips Jaguars with harsh verdict on Travis Hunter’s draft value after star WR/CB's injury

Travis Hunter was one of the biggest stars in college football last season, and as a result, became one of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL draft. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the second pick after they traded to acquire the pick. The Jaguars traded a package of picks that included the fifth pick this year and their first-round pick next year for the second pick and two other picks.

There is a lot of excitement around the Jaguars this season as the anticipation for Hunter's debut is high. However, there is a big question mark around whether he can play both wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL.

Hunter made his preseason debut in the Jaguars' first preseason game, taking 18 total snaps. However, the coaching staff did not get to see him in the second preseason game against the Saints. He was held out of the game with an upper-body injury. On Tuesday, analyst Ryan Clark spoke about how Travis Hunter's injury could be a sign he was not worth the second pick in the draft.

"If he doesn't play both sides of the football, you wasted a pick. You wasted assets," Ryan Clark said (Timestamp 14:30). "You decided that moving up to number two wasn't truly what you wanted to do because he's not the number two pick as a wide receiver. He's not the number two pick as a cornerback. He is the number two pick if he plays both.

"He is the number two pick if he affects both sides of the football. If he doesn't do that, what you gave up, giving up next year's first round pick to get him is not worth it to play offense primarily or no defense and vice versa. And so to me, if you have to make that decision based on his inability to physically hold up throughout 17 games, it was a mistake to draft Travis Hunter."

Travis Hunter's status for the third preseason game is uncertain

The Jacksonville Jaguars have one more preseason game this season, but Travis Hunter's status for it is unclear. Coach Liam Coen said on Tuesday that keeping Hunter out of the lineup was a precautionary measure. However, he did not commit Hunter to playing in the final preseason game of the year against Miami:

"I've got to see what he looks like tomorrow. I think the goal is to try to get him out there for the joint."

Jacksonville is set to play Miami on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Travis Hunter only played 18 snaps in the first preseason game of the year before sitting out the second game.